§ Mr. Rileyasked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the countries where statutory effect has already been given, or is in process of being given, to the provision of annual holidays with pay for manual workers?
§ Mr. E. Brown, pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 31st March, 1938; Col. 2157, Vol. 333) supplied the following statement:
Annual Holidays with Pay for Manual Workers in Oversea Countries.
Statutory provision for annual holidays with pay for manual workers has been made in a number of countries, subject, however, to a variety of conditions in different countries.
955WIn Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Finland, France (including Algeria and French Morocco), Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxemburg, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Spain, Switzerland (Cantons of Basle-Town and Valais), Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Venezuela, the legislation, with some exceptions in certain countries, covers manual workers in industry and commerce generally. In a few of these countries, some other categories of workers are also included within the scope of the legislation; in some countries, on the other hand, particular classes of manual workers such as casual workers, seasonal workers, etc., are excluded. In certain countries not named above, namely, China, Eire, Estonia, Iraq and Lithuania, the legislation covers only those manual workers who are employed in industrial undertakings; in Eire, workers employed in transport or mining undertakings are excluded.
In some countries, including Belgium, Cuba, Estonia, Iraq, Luxemburg and Portugal, establishments employing less than a specified number of workers, varying from five to twenty in different cases, are excluded. In China, the legislation applies only to factories using power, and in Italy it applies only to undertakings working continuously throughout the year.
In a few countries other than those already mentioned, statutory provision is made for the grant of annual holidays with pay to particular classes of manual workers, e.g., in Denmark, domestic servants; in the Netherlands, seamen; and in New Zealand, agricultural workers on dairy farms. In Germany, there is no legislative provision for the grant of annual holidays with pay, but the regulations determining conditions of employment provide, in most if not all cases, for holidays with pay for manual workers. In Austria, the legislation in force prior to the incorporation of that country in the German Reich, entitled manual workers in industry, commerce, agriculture, etc., to holidays with pay.
In Sweden, under existing legislation, the principle of the grant of holidays with pay is established, but its application is not mandatory on employers. A Bill, however, is under consideration which, if passed, would entitle the general body of workers to annual holidays with pay. Similar legislation, it is understood, is 956W under consideration in Denmark and Eire.
The legislation in all cases prescribes that the grant of annual paid holidays shall be conditional upon a qualifying period of service, varying in different cases from five and a-half months to two or three years. In Belgium, France and Germany, service under two or more employers may be accumulated, for this purpose, in the case of certain classes of workers who are not normally employed continuously for the prescribed qualifying period by one and the same employer.
The minimum duration of the annual holiday varies in different countries from three or four days to two weeks. In certain countries, it is graduated according to the number of days of work performed in the year, or according to the number of years' service.